In a world that seems like it is at the brink of madness at times, it is a pleasure to see when a real leader steps up and accepts the challenge of trying to make the world a better place. To say the world’s biggest power wielders are bent on profit over the common good is not a new concept but one that seems to be growing steadily worse with each passing year.
Which is why I simply love Pope Francis.
Born in 1936, Pope Francis was a nightclub bouncer and chemical tech before being ordained as a priest in 1969 and a Cardinal in 2001.
However, to me the best accomplishments he has made have come since he has become Pope in 2013, using his position to influence world events and becoming one of the very few voices of sanity and equality from a man with a major platform to do so.
Known for a sense of humility and living a simple life, Pope Francis has become an inspiration for all who fight the good fight, choosing to live in a guest residence rather then the lavish quarters used by former Popes and choosing to wear less adornments allowed by his position.
Although not surprisingly backing ideas held firm by the Catholic church, Pope Francis has shown that he is the most progressive Pope to ever hold that position, believing strongly in dialogue between the faiths and showing love for even the non believers who are outside his flock.
More interesting is the role he played recently in relations between the United States and Cuba where he was said to have played an integral part in the new found relations these countries share.
Other refreshing and quite amazing acts have been his call for world peace during his first Easter as Pope and his call for his fellow clergyman to be humble and simple in wealth and in life. He also has promised to sell any gifts he receives, giving the proceeds to charity.
He asked people to avoid the easy gains of greed so rampant in this modern world and also that the message of the church is the same as it was when Jesus was alive, that of love and humility and tolerance towards others.
The words are perfect truth all too many in the world might feel hit home, describing the: “widening gap between those who have more and those who must be content with the crumbs” .
Pope Francis has also taken a strong stance against the destruction of the environment of this planet, something never really touched on by his predecessors. He told of how the environment was exploited for the greed of select men rather then the good of man as a whole, saying: “God always forgives, but the Earth does not. Take care of the Earth so it does not respond with destruction.”
Pope Francis also has remarked on the importance of women in the church saying they are an integral cog in spreading the faith and were also the first to witness the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In short, Pope Francis has become a man I admire deeply. Too often those in the position to make a change shirk the chance to do so, Pope Francis has become in a short period an inspiration to the world which seems so close to the brink of chaos.
